Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-14
IOVEsA's LUCKY PLUNGE.
she Plays the Races with the Pro
verbal EUck OF n Beginner.
nndianapolis Jonrnal. ]

indianapolis JournaLl
A young bride was calling with
friend. and at more than one house
found other friends who had been to
the races. Enhancing were the stories
they told of backing the winners.
Now, Louisa had never been to the
races in her life, and that very night
she asked her husband if he would not
take her.
Nov, who has been putting that
into your head?"> asked John,
brusquely.
"Wby, 1 don't know, John, DEAR"
said Louisa, "but everybody seems to
90, and / want to. I want to back the
winners" >-fiNr
The next scene is at Sheepshead Bay.
Three races have been run, and Louisa
is intensely interested. not only in
events, but in the scenes around her.
She has kept her eyes open, and has
noticed that ladies near her send money
away in the hands of boys in uniform,
and that the boys return with tickets,
which the ladies put in their bags. She
has pleaded with her husband to lether
bet Just once on a race, but he
has forbidden it so sternly that
she dares not speak OF it again.
But John has left his seat after
each race and not returned until the
next one is about to be run. In her in
nocent little head has crept the idea
that John is betting on the races, and
she longs TO know what his fortune has
been. Fly the time the third race has
been run she has grown into fever of
excitement over project which she
feared to execute. She would take adj
vantage of his absence and bet for her
self secretly. John looked very dark
at the conclusion of the third race, and
ground his teeth as he made answer to
his wiie's innocent question that he
had rather hoped such horse would
win, for he knew the jockey. He
is telling a white lie," thought bright
Louisa, "and / will get even with
him. But it seemed as if John would
never get up and disappear as he had
before. In fact, John was wondering
whetherhe would take a final plunge with
what LIE had left. He decided that he
would go out to the betting pavilion,
at all events, and see how the odds were
running, and it was unnecessary to say
that be plunged. AS soon as he had
gone Louisa was thrown into rage OF
excitement and doubt. The color
mounted hot to her cheeks and her
heart thumped like typewriter, as
with O supreme impulse she beckoned
to boy. 1t was the last chance.
"Here," she exclaimed, producing
some bills from her purse "take this
and bet it for me.
"Who on ?" asked the boy, stolidly
receiving the money and counting it.
There were $50.
"Oh, dear! !" whispered Louisa, ~
don't know anything about horses.
You know, don't your"
"Well," said the boy, scratching his
head, they are given to l on Ichi
Fan and to / on Pocomoke, but |
think it's race for a short horse, my
SELF"
"But can short horse run as fast
as q long one?" asked Louisa In sur
prise.
"well," said the boy, "that de.
ponds; but / am backing Ovid, and
You can get Is to l on him."
"Well, well, hurry along, and do
what you think best, only put it some
where, and don't let anybody know"
The boy disappeared, and presently
John came back. She looked at him
furtiyely to see if he suspected any.
thing, but Johns face was like that OF
aSphinx. The boy returned, too, and
slipped piece Of paper into Louisa's
hand without attracting attention. She
hastily thrust it into her purse, feeling
wofully guilty. The race was run, and
il would be hard to say which was the
more excited. When it was over John
said avkwardly, Louisa, you brought
some money on the track with you,
didn't you? 2"
"Yes, DEAR" she replied, family,
feeling that now the storm was coming:
81 guess You better let me have it, "
he said. ITO tell the truth | have got
rid OF mine. A friend told me that .
race was coming . certain way; he
wanted me to hack it--and-l d. g.
.Sd y eses xE2se 2es sese